ARLINGTON, VA – The Industry Data Exchange Association, Inc. (IDEA) and the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) today announce that they will be co-hosting a joint technology event in 2017.

IDEA’s eBiz Forum and NAED’s Technology Conference will merge and will run concurrently with NAED’s AdVenture Marketing Conference August 2-4, 2017 at the Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago. The goal of this joint event is to foster collaboration and communication between industry IT and marketing professionals.

“As eCommerce and digital communications become more and more prevalent, we’re seeing a convergence between marketing and IT in our industry like never before,” said Paul Molitor, President and CEO, IDEA.

In the past, the IDEA eBiz Forum was dedicated to eBusiness in the electrical industry and brought together key electrical supply chain leaders through a mix of general sessions, breakout sessions, and workshops. The NAED Technology Conference educated and highlighted the most efficient ways electrical distributors use technology to provide better service to customers. By bringing the two events together and including potential cross-over with AdVenture, attendees will have the opportunity to share their expertise with one another and expand their knowledge base through a wider variety of educational sessions.

For additional information regarding the 2017 event details, visit the NAED registration page. Please note that pricing is tentative and subject to change. Agenda and speaker information will be available in the coming months.

“By hosting the NAED Technology Conference and the eBiz Forum together, we can create a central hub for our industry’s IT and technology teams to cross-pollinate and network like never before,” said Tom Naber, President & CEO, NAED. “This is the type of mutually beneficial opportunity we need to leverage to keep our industry in the game as the business environment around us continues to evolve.”

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About IDEA: The Industry Data Exchange Association, Inc. (IDEA) is the official technology service provider and eBusiness standards body of the electrical industry. The company helps thousands of manufacturers and distributors find the most cost-effective methods for running day-to-day business. IDEA’s applications help connect the supply chain and make business processes efficient, easy and enjoyable for people every day. IDEA was founded in 1998 through a partnership rooted in the collective leadership of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) members. Their applications also bring value to vertical markets such as industrial, retail, and consumer-packaged goods. IDEA is headquartered in Arlington, VA (idea4industry.com).